karen's country calendar

 When my sister visits it always provides an opportunity to go birding a bit further afield and this time we decided to visit the North Norfolk coast and Lynford Arboretum in the hope of seeing a few new birds for this year. Leaving early (6.30am) we reached Titchwell just before the visitor centre opened so made our way straight onto the reserve and the walk down towards the shore.  I was pleased to see a curlew,  scoters (black specks on the sea which we were reliably informed were scoters by someone with a 'scope.  black tailed godwits, a flock of brent geese which few in, ruff and bearded tits. Along the coast we stopped off at Holkham Gap where we had heard there were some shorelarks still present which we eventually found in the roped off area after a tip off from another birder.  We then arrived at Cley Marshes where we managed somewhat distant views of a Long Billed  Dowitcher, only visible as pointed out by a lot of other birders present in the hide. Our final destination

 I have been to Therfield Heath a few times over the past years but I received an email notification that a guide led visit was scheduled for last Tuesday - at a time I was free so decided to book and see what I could learn from others.  The starting point was at the main Therfield Heath carpark, which I didnt know existed as I always parked at the other end of the Heath so that was a new place for me. As I waited for others to arrive, I saw a good number of meadow browns,  ringlets and large skippers amongst the grasses near where I parked my car. Soon I spotted a few others arriving so  I went over and joined the group where we were introduced to our leader, Nick who said he only lived a few hundred yards away and was a Conservateur of Therfield Heath.  He lead us round the edge of the eastern side of the Heath, an  area I hadnt explored before, we saw all the usual grass loving butterflies including a good number of Marbled white and skipper butterflies including the Essex skipper. 

 A few weeks ago when the weather was warm and sunny I made a few trips looking for the summer butterflies in Norfolk, Northampton and Cambridgeshire. Our Norfolk trip was to Strumpshaw Fen where for the past few years we have tried, to spot the beautiful but elusive swallowtail but only managed short glimpses due to cloudy or windy conditions or being too early or too late in the season!  However on 16 June this year the weather and flight window seemed perfect so we were very hopeful  of success this time. On arrival we checked in and immediately saw a group of people with telescopes at the reception hide where they had spotted a bittern amongst the reeds, Someone kindly offered us the use of their telescope where we had a quick sighting before it disappeared into the reeds again. We then made for the area known as the 'Doctors garden' where swallowtails are most often seen nectaring and several people standing in the area told us they had just had a close up of one on nearby